Unknown Destiny
by Picklejar399
Summary: Embark on an epic journey as Son Gohan, who was raised by Master Roshi, travels around the Earth and outerspace, trying to uncover what fate lies before him while learning the value of friendship, romance, and destiny.
1. Chapter 1

**Ch.1: The Tale Begins**

_Please review my newest story! I personally believe this is one of my better works and if there is support I will gladly continue it!_

"What shall be done with you, half-breed?" questioned a gravely, tired voice, seemingly contradictory to the energy of the flailing infant in his iron grasp. His weather worn hands, with veins pertruding, were struggling to maintain a hold on the struggling sayain child. The strength and endurance he possessed at age one was nothing less than remarkable. At such a juvenile age he had already proven himself an equal to the greatest warriors on the face of the planet. A mere child caused the regal Namekian warrior, Piccolo, to quack in his modest boots. The Z-Warriors feared the sheer energy fixated to the prodigy and Goku, the child's father, agreed with the others that it would be for the greater good to eliminate the potential threat. Chi-Chi, flung herself against her husband's bulky stature, desperately attempting to halt the abduction of her only son. All in vain, as the sayain simply pardoned himself with a half-hearted smile and charged off into the starless night towards Kame House. Arriving at his destination, he dipped his head slightly in respect to his former master before handing him the human parcel. He then exclaimed with a wavering voice, "It's your call now Roshi, whether he lives or dies. I wish... I wish we could just let him live but I... the planent's wellbeing is more important. This is why I leave it up to you, my friend, to decide his fate. Please, choose what is best for everyone! Farewell, master. Farewell, son..." he trailed off with unshed tears glistening in his heroic eyes. Eyes that had seen too much, too soon. And he waved goodbye with a heavy heart. A heart that for all its good had committed, had allowed unbelievable evil. The sobbing father flew off into the midnight skyline, until he dissapeared from view, shrouded by a horde of nimbus clouds. The hermit turned back inside and pondered that question he asked aloud to the wild child.

He cast his weary gaze out the window to observe the darkened sky."I believe I will allow you the chance to grow old, son. The choices you make will reflect the House of Kame and myself as a guardian. Plus, you'll probably be handsome like your daddy, so a lot of pretty girls will come over! Unless, you are as naive and hard headed as your dad, which I pray to Kami you're not! You realize your father once ate a dragonball because I told him it was a special kind of orange, and then this one time..." the old geezer continued the tale with a grin rapidly spreading out across his wrinkled face. Yes, the sayain warrior, Gohan would have a chance to begin his own legendary adventure and prove to the world what kind of man he would become.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch.2: Young Gohan**  
**  
**_Hope to get some reviewers this chapter, it would be helpful. Roll the film!_

/Three years later/

The sun was gradually sinking below the skyline so the ancient hermit lifted his wine glass, saluting it for bringing another memorable day. Boy, was it ever a day to reminisce about! Gohan, Kami bless his soul, possessed enough energy for the old man to wish he was currently still in the sack before the day even officially began. Just today his trainee flew- literally flew- around his head spouting off nonsensical gibberish: "Why do you like women so much?" "Is your head always so shiny in the sunlight?" "Why is Turtle so slow?" Ugh, the stamina and curious nature of that boy could drive saints to sin. Taking on a parental role had some benefits however. Whenever, he dragged the boy along to the mainland as disciplinary action, Gohan's presence attracted a group of beauties. Master Roshi remained unsure of whether it was the kid's charisma, boyish charm, or a combination of both that drew the other gender's affection. Simply put- the kid was a loveable nuisance. Sighing to himself the turtle hermit, clumsily slid off of his lawn chair and hobbled himself to the patio when a forceful gust misplaced the hermit form his stance. Following his fall to the ground was a shout of, "MASTER ROSHI!"

The young sayain hybrid then descended to earth and and finished, "I'm back! Did you miss me? Huh? Huh? Did ya? Master...Roshi?"

The hyper boy looked directly into his wry eyes in a vain attempt to predetermine the answer.

"Yes Gohan, I missed you," the hermit sighed as the energetic 'monkey' gripped his already aching frame in a death grip. He pried the minute hands from his body and grabbed his young hands in his own wrinkly ones. Roshi began to lead his adopted son to his bedroom.

"Let's go child, to bed with you."

Gohan sauntered over to his twin bed and plopped down with a hearty giggle. His eyes began to glaze over almost immediately, the security of his bed allowed the luxury of rest to rapidly occur. Master Roshi smiled at the child he raised while closing the blinds to block out the few rays of sun still remaining while drowsiness slowly overcoming the duo. Just as he turned to leave he heard a small whisper, "Roshi, can you tell me a story, I'm still not tired."  
"Sure child. Remember that one about the great Goku taking and the villian Piccolo..."

/30 minutes later/

"... and the brave warrior lived happily ever after with the lovely, and endowed in all the right places, princess Chi-Chi. The end," the martial arts expert finished, stifling a yawn. His expression seemed to become more lively while he examined his sleeping son. He hoped that he would never wonder about his 'missing parents' and feel the pain of abandonment. He also hoped that his isolation of the boy from the world could help him from maturing too fast. The boy was the strongest warrior on this planet and he prayed Gohan would never be thrown into a major battle like his other pupils were. Master Roshi had seen enough bloodshed and death in his prolonged lifetime and wouldn't wish his fate on his worst enemy, much less his beloved kid. Overall, his final thoughts as he slid under the covers of his cot were ones of peace and hope for Gohan's future... and boobs.

_While thanks for reading yet another chapter! As you could probably tell, Gohan's character is much different than his anime counterpart, primarily 'cause Roshi is raising him. Giving Gohan to a pervert like Roshi would not have been my first option but hey, he seems to be doing a swell job so far... for a perv! Please Review and let me know how I'm doing! _  
_Oh, and Raditz will be making an appearance next chapter. I smell Action!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch.3: Raditz Appears**

_Thanks to RitcheyD90 and maximusprime223 for the reviews, I hope to have your continued support! You are certainly right this will be quite interesting... to say the least and I will be sure to continue this story! Also a special thanks to everyone who favorited and is following, without the quick responses I may have been later with this chapter, but I felt I owe everyone this. Thanks for the support and everyone please review! And Action!_

A determined look adorned the elder's creased face. His sunglasses reflected the bright light of the peaked afternoon sun. It had been two months since he had stayed up late to proclaim his fantastic tale of Gohan's father and the demon. The boy's peaceful face graced the old man's memory for a minute and a brief smile found its way to his face. However, the smile just as quickly vanished as he again caught the sheer magnitude of the evil ki. An involuntary shudder came over his body; the flimsy Hawaii dress shirt unable to provide inadequate protection against the ocean breeze. Well, that was what he equated his shudder to, unable to face the idea that he felt terror at the unknown threat. Turning his back to the mass of salty water he scanned the area rapidly for his son's ki signature. Locking on he immediately realized the lad currently resided in the living room. With vigor Master Roshi jogged across the sandy beach, his sandals hardly touching the grains. Jostling open the screen door he hollered to the boy, "Let's go Gohan, time to put that training to use."

The addressed boy quickly jumped to his feet, wobbling slightly. The boy, the one Master Roshi had faith and placed the fate of the world in, struck a ridiculous martial arts pose that would even turn even the Ginyu Forces' head. A cheeky smile still on his face he asked, "After I beat the baddie, can we have lunch?"

A dumbstruck expression suddenly overtook Roshi's once serious- badass (according to himself)- expression. His son was about to lead a charge against a shady, immoral character that overshadowed Goku and Piccolo's power combined and yet, food was the primary concern. His son was, in a sense, fighting not for justice, but for a sandwich or some other edible.

"Incredible, but I guess the old saying stands true, like father like son," he contemplated aloud. And the realized in a sudden fit of clarity, "My father must have been an incredibly sick twisted individual!"

While this occurred Gohan finished his 'intense' stretching and an unidentifiable glow appeared in his dark eyes. He grabbed his thoughtful guardian by the elbow and shot like a forceful bullet from an eager gun through the screen door. Seeing his property destroyed snapped Roshi from his daze as he exclaimed, "You realize you will be paying for that sonny and since you live with me, are my son, and are only four years old, that means... I'm paying for it..." the old man trailed off with a dejected sigh.

"You're so funny Master Roshi! Now, let's go and kick some butt!" screamed the over zealous kid.

The lust for battle pumping through his veins, he tightened his vice grip on his master's arm and rocketed off towards the not so distant signature. Bushy mass of black hair flowing behind him the naive fighter pushed extra hard against the backlashing wind to reach his destination quicker than a leisurely flight would. After flying for in silence for a few minutes Gohan suddenly interrupted the old man's sightseeing of the blurry landscape below with a multitude of questions.

"Master, who started saying kick their butt? I mean if winning a fight was as easy as kicking someone's butt wouldn't even the weakest of humans be able to eventually catch an evil alien off guard and defeat them? Also, when you hit women on the bottom are you fighting them? Oh, is that why they slap you back in the face?" the naive youth spouted off more and more gibberish and nonsense for the next fifteen minutes. The ancient pervert simply nodded, shook his head, and corrected the antsy lad at the appropriate times.

Approximately ten minutes later the son of the legendary hero Goku skillfully touched down in a rather somewhat hilly, seemingly grassland area. "Where is he Roshi?" questioned the curious, albeit hyper four year old.

"Child you can sense power levels too, so get to work and STOP BEING LAZY! Jeez, and they wonder why the world is like it is, lazy whipper-snappers," jeered the ornery guardian.

"Okay..." mumbled the child, clearly concerned for Master Roshi's mental health. Displacing the concern for a moment the Gohan swiftly located the evil aura and suddenly his smile morphed into a frown. The time to be serious and prepare for an epic battle was now. The formerly playful sayain spoke boldly to his master, "Father, go hide behind that hill over there. This should be over quick. Compared to my level of power this guy is a gnat. GO!"

Roshi saw the blaze in his eyes that his father used to have and smirked. He replied right away, "Sure son. Be careful and kick his... just severely hurt him! And remember to mask your power." The older man then dashed to behind the hill and pulled out a graphic magazine to read. Some things never change!

Meanwhile, a rather bulky male clad in armour with coal colored hair about the length of his entire body paced back and forth. His smoking space pod in the background, lodged in a crater, seemed to be the least off his concern. The villain continued to fiddle with the green scouter device covering a portion of the left side of his face. Hissing curses in a foreign language the irate alien failed to detect the presence of a young warrior, slightly taller than his knee.

The ignored child addressed the older man with a hostile quip, "Excuse me mister, but you're evil! Plus you interrupted my lunch time and that is unforgivable! You're goin' down!"

Raditz, startled by the interruption, swiveled his head in multiple directions until he acknowledged the younger sayain's presence. Stifling a snicker he replied, "Boy, I am not in the mood and if you don't want to die today I would run home to mommy!"

"What's a mommy?" asked the clueless Gohan.

"Yeah, just piss off kid. I'm busy. Probably dropped on his goddamn head like my idiot of a brother," answered the snarky long-haired killer as he fired a energy beam at the unsuspecting lad. Turning his back to the expected corpse he continued his angry pacing and attempting to fix his scouter.

"I expected Kakarot to be here by now. No matter, as soon as I fix my scouter I'll come to them to find out his answer to my generous proposal. I am such a good guy!" the deranged villain sarcastically cackled. The smoke now cleared revealed an extremely irritated prodigy.

"That wasn't very kind. Ya know a warning would be much appreciated, jerk!" said an obviously pissed off Gohan.

With disbelief etched on his rough face he inquired, "Not to be rude, but how is a mere child still alive after that blast. I am a sayain warrior! A little boy can not resist my power!"

Raditz unleashed a hellish battle cry and unleashed volley after volley of ki at Gohan, who this time was quite aware of the 'potential threat'. He grinned cockily and allowed the energy to consume his entire being.

"There that does it. Live through that brat!" challenged the arrogant alien.

An ominous wind lifted the enormous cloud of smoke from their impromptu battlefield. The stunned silence resulted from the obnoxious boy standing with only his clothes slightly ripped. He grinned up at his supposed superior which caused a scowl to be shot his way.

"That's it boy! I tried to play nice..."

"Actually sir, you attempted to murder me multiple times. I don't know where you come from but on earth that is incredibly rude," interrupted a gentlemanly Gohan.

"Die brat," Raditz replied as he lunged at Master Roshi's pupil. His carefully thrown right hook meet wiith air as Gohan fazed behind him.

"Where are you child?" he howled madly as he tried to locate his opponent. A tap on his shoulder made him turn around just in time to see a fist launched casually at his nose. With a sick crack the cartilage in his nose caved in allowing pools of blood to leak out. He attempted to wipe away the crimson liquid when he was caught in the throat with a powerful right jab. Then, the Goku's son launched his bony knee into his enemy's ripped stomach. The results were immediate as Raditz plummeted toward the grass, spitting up blood while clutching his injured stomach.

"Wow, mister sayain man you don't look so good. Um, also, no offence, but you are kinda weak. Not much of a challenge at all." This made the prideful sayain slowly clamber to his feet and take up a inept battle stance.

"Round two, you little shit!"

Nimbly dodging the incoming elbow, the lad countered with a roundhouse kick to Raditz's already pained stomach. Chuckling a little bit, he allowed his unidentified sayain side to have control and fired a barrage of combination of strikes. Sufficient to say, the 'monster' was left knocked out cold with blood splatters in the surrounding vicinity. Still naive he had no idea the damage he caused and rushed back to his master.

/Back at the hill/  
Master Roshi, having long ago finished his magazine, was tuned in on the one-sided fight that was occurring about twelve miles away. He stood shell-shocked that the boy he was raising possessed so much power but, also proud that his son was using his strength for good and protecting the planet. He knew the boy did not kill Raditz but, sensed that Goku and Piccolo were headed toward the downed body. Roshi trusted their judgement and would let them deal with the fate of Raditz. The boy suddenly appeared beside him and immediately did his trademark thing- ask a question.

"Hey master can we go home now and have a late lunch?"

"Sure we can.. hero," answered a proud dad.

"Hero? I'm not a hero, silly! Goku is a hero, I'm just a boy!" said Gohan as he grabbed Roshi and began to fly back to their island home.

"Yes, but not even Goku could have done what you did. You're a true hero now," he hoarsely whisphered so not even the curious boy could decipher what Roshi said.

/Fifteen minutes later near the location Raditz is at/

"Do you sense him Piccolo?" asked an overly eager Goku.

Piccolo snorted at his rival's display and replied, "Yeah, it's faint, but it's coming from this direction."

Said demon then pointed west and the unlikely duo continued onward. A brief time later the two spotted the fallen form of Raditz and Piccolo calmly landed while Goku dramatically dismounted the Flying Nimbus. The both of them cautiously approached Raditz until they saw the splatters of blood on and around him.

"What the hell kind of creature could inflict damage like this on a monster like him?" wondered Piccolo as he pointed a long green finger at the one he was supposed to tag team.

"While whoever it is deserves praise because I don't know if we would have made it out of that alive! Now what should we do with him?" Goku said.

Piccolo, the ultimate tactician, already charged up an attack. He removed the two fingers from his forehead and commanded, "Special Beam Cannon!"An intense flash of light emerged from the tips of his fingers and pierced the armour and eventually the heart of the fallen comrade.

"Piccolo, what the hell man? He was my brother and you didn't even give him a chance to explain himself!" defended a furious newly discovered sayain.

"He was a threat and I eliminated him. I'll see you later Goku, I have some intense training to attend to," he stated as he began flying away. "Oh, and you should probably take that scouter to the blue-haired mechanic girl she'd probably appreciate it," the green giant added as an afterthought and blasted away.

"Sure, Piccolo I see. And thanks for the idea, Bulma will be thrilled I'm sure. Thanks for the help... well it's the thought that counts."

He turned around and slowly began heading towards home his thoughts and feeling blurred about the events that transpired today.

_Super chapter (compared to the other two) this time so please review and let me know what ya think! At first I tried to keep the tone serious, but as I wrote the more it became light-hearted. Anyways, would you guys like a more suspenseful tone to the story or a more humorous (kinda) tone to this fanfic. Ah, yes and Gohan and Goku were so close to meeting while they will eventually, trust me.. Hopefully no one is too upset about this. Please review and let me know! Thanks!_

Approximate Power Levels:  
Gohan-2000  
Raditz-1200  
Piccolo and Goku- Around 450


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch.4: Traveller**

_While thanks to my awesome reviewers last chapter- RitcheyD90, GoViEva, and GohanSs4- I decided to update quicker than I normally would! They also brought up some legit points and questions I feel entitled to answer. Unfortunately, Gohan does not have his awesome tail because Goku decided to remove it because he was scared of Gohan's potential. He however can grow it back under certain conditions. And my attempt was to make Gohan more mature than his anime counterpart, but not so much that it's like HOLY CRAP HE'S FOUR YEARS OLD!? I just kinda made him inquisitive, brave, and somewhat naive due to being isolated on an island. Hopefully, I can tune down his maturity a little in the upcoming chapters and develop his character more. Also, I'm glad some people appreciate my attempts and humor. Oh, and the reason it didn't show Goku interact with Raditz is because I am attempting to keep the perspective from Gohan's POV. Which reminds me, I'll try to keep the story balanced between action, humor, and the bits of romance soon to come! Roll the clip! Please enjoy and review!_  
**  
**Releasing a deep breath Master Roshi sunk deeper into his cot while flipping through the few channels the television received. Roshi appeared quite content, still dressed in a robe he carelessly covered himself in after his scalding bath. Beads of water still clung to his pallid beard as his son's serene snores could be heard from the adjacent room. The pale moonlight coated the old man in an aura of wanly light, that presented the man with a sagely look. Settling on some modern cowboy film he stretched his arms high above his head and emitted a dramatic yawn. Over the sound of the loud gunfire Master Roshi heard the telephone ringing. Sighing, he slipped out from underneath his bed covers and placed his slippers on his veiny feet. An unnecessary step was to position his sunglasses against his tired eyes, almost like someone could observe his physical being through the phone. Awkwardly shuffling towards the noise that interrupted his relaxation, he stumbled over a textbook Gohan had abandoned to pursue leisure. The karate master growled and carefully placed the literature on a nearby chair. Reaching his destination with no more problems to hinder his progress, the old man kindly, albeit slightly annoyed, greeted his midnight caller**.**

"Hello, this is Kame house, Master Roshi speaking. How may I help you?" he questioned.

A silky feminine voice graced his ears and replied, "Hey Roshi. It's Bulma. I have some important news to tell ya!"

As soon as the blue haired genius told the elderly 'gentlemen' her name he became instantly alert and flirtatious. The young women was one of the most sought after girls in the entire world after all.

"So, beautiful, what can I do for you?" he inquired Bulma, who at this point was miraculously had a large sweat drop and a large vein that seemed to be attempting to burst forth from her forehead.

"Listen you old pervert, this is super important! This is another one of those crisis that could determine the fate of the earth and you want to get cute with me? Now, do you got your head on straight, you old coot?" she said.

Restoring his dignity and detecting the hints of desperation masked in her eerily calm voice the master ignored his 'urges'. He needed to be appropriate for Gohan's sake, if no one elses.

Speaking softly Roshi ventured saying, "I'm sorry Bulma, I got a little carried away. Go on, tell me about the important thing you discovered."

He heard a large rush of breath from the other side of the line. "I know you can't help yourself," she mumbled. "Now what I wanted to tell you was that Goku discovered his brother's body and after Piccolo shot some beam thingy and...killed him, Goku retrieved a scouter from Raditz. Now, it took me awhile but, since I am a genius, I translated the language from alien to standard english. It's a really cool device actually that can detect power levels and everything! You should let me check yours soon," the bluenette beauty started cheerfully rambling, losing track of the topic.

"Yeah, maybe some other time Bulma, but what about the major news," he desperately asked.

"Oh, right! Well, I was going through the messages he received and apparently a duo of sayains even stronger than him are rapidly approaching Earth! They'll be here in approximately six months, give or take. I wanted to let you know so you could prepare or whatever. Anyways, gotta go, it's late. Chao!" she yawned into the receiver and then promptly hung up.

The startled master flung down the telephone and wondered if he was getting too old for this crap. Master Roshi crept back to bed to ponder his best course of action. Regaining his former calm, he wrung off his slippers and collapsed under the cover once more. Before his eventual sleep deprivation caught up with him, the geezer formulated a plan involving Gohan, positive that it would benefit the boy. A zealous slumber ensued after creating his brilliant strategy.

Heat from light of the burning sphere of gas in the sky awoke the aged guardian from his snooze. He heard strange noises from the kitchen and knew immediately the lad's failed attempts at making breakfast were occurring. Roshi grunted in disbelief at the kid's inability to utilize everyday machinery; he dressed and dashed towards the kitchen to attend to the imminent mess awaiting. Sure enough, five splattered eggs lined his wallpaper and were gradually sliding down. He continued on to curse the existence of gravity as he swiftly grabbed a wash cloth and cleaned up the disaster. Master Roshi smirked in satisfaction at averting a disaster when he noticed Gohan's death glare focused on the terrible toaster. Rolling his eyes he dared to ask the question on everyone's mind.

"Gohan, why the heck are you trying to intimidate that toaster," chuckled the parental figure.

His student nearly shot through the roof, apparently unaware of anything unrelated to his 'staring contest'. The unfitting scowl vanished to be invaded by a large grin. "This toaster," he spat the word, "stole my bread and refuses to give it back. So I thought that if I gave it an angry face it would give it back." Suddenly a dejected look crossed his youthful face, "So far it hasn't been working though," he complained.

Covering his mouth to prevent the barrage of laughter trying to escape the old men strolled over to the contraption. Pretending to examine it, he suddenly lifted the lever upward and the pair of darkened toast popped up. Seeing his breakfast actually come out somewhat successful Gohan positively beamed. With renewed vigor the warrior speedily caught his prize and wolfed it down. After devouring his food and brushing the resulting crumbs off his purple gi, he addressed his master. "Thanks, for helping me Master Roshi!"

"You are quite welcome child. I'm just glad you don't eat as much as your fath...," he trailed off when he noticed the fatal error he made.

Said son cocked his head in an inquisitive manner, eyes locked with Roshi's, attempting to discover the importance behind the information his dad carelessly leaked.

Shaking his head Roshi began, "Just rambling lad. Anyhow child I was thinking last night. I need you to listen very closely and tell me what you think, okay?" the island hermit spoke softly.

Gohan noticing his father's serious demeanor, nodded his head with the same amount of enthusiasm. A dated finger darted out and brushed an unruly black bang from the child's intense obsidian eyes.

"Now listen. Two more incredibly bad men are headed to our planet. They are sayains like the one you fought a little while ago. However these men are much more powerful and could easily beat you right now," he elucidated to the focused sayain youth.

Gohan shook in rage at the thought of more villains coming to interrupt his and Roshi's peaceful life. Why couldn't they just stay away? Then, he sighed in defeat remembering that he stood no chance against them currently.

"However, I propose you go on an adventure- of sorts. They should be here in about six months so think of it as a long vacation. The trip itself and all the people you'll encounter will surely push you farther, physically and mentally, than anything I would otherwise have you do. You already have a grip on ki control and your hand to hand combat is excellent. So, I believe it's time for you to go out into the world and make a name for yourself. Remember though to mask you power level," Master Roshi finished.

His short speech caused Gohan to become ecstatic. There was hope for his home if he took this short journey! Propelling himself forward, the midget hero hugged Roshi. The pervert placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and consoled him, knowing the boy would accept but be upset. After a period of time, the guys disentangled themselves and farewell nods were exchanged. Then, hand in hand, the fighters walked over to the shoreline. Their gazes never once left the majestic waves of the ocean, even once the salty water crashed against their raggedy shoes. Removing his hand from his father's he turned his back as a multitude of emotions overcame him. Loud sobs could be heard coming from his agape mouth as his body shuddered from the intensity of his overbearing feelings. Gradually his feet began to leave the sand until he was floating in front of his sole parent. "Goodbye, Master Roshi," he whimpered.

Attempting to regain his composure the tiny kid wiped his sleeve across the trail of tears. In a more firm voice he stated, "I'll be back before you know it dad. And when I get back we can have a huge brunch, just you, me, and Turtle once he gets back from his trip. And... I'll come back stronger than ever ready to beat some sayains! Bye!"

The boy's form became less and less definite until it vanished from view off into the vast horizon. Wiping fresh tears of his own, Master Roshi whispered, "Good luck, my son..."

_Now that wasn't so bad right? Ah, Gohan did cry but he is only four and is leaving home for the first time so yeah. I think I portrayed him as much more of an immature kid this time! And yes Gohan totally pwned Raditz last chapter but I promise the eventual battle between him and the sayains will certainly not be so one-sided. And for news everyone has been waiting for: VIdel is either going to appear this chapter or next, depending on which storyline I follow because I have several scenarios flowing through my head right now. Anyways thanks once again to everyone who supports me and please review and Gohan will present you with some freshly made toast!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch.5: Traveller Pt.2**

_I appreciate the continued support RitcheyD90, it means so much to me and your comments are always so encouraging and help me gain insight into the story, and I'm writing it so that ceratainly amazing! Also, thanks to GohanSsj4 for reviewing once again, yes you get toast-with jam! and my newest reviewer Ky111. Also thanks to Jrik23 for reviewing, I'm glad you find this original and if you ever wish to write your story and need any ideas I'd gladly help! And yes sooner than you think he will meet some of the Z-fighters, but the meeting will not involve everyone, I wouldn't go into that anymore than I have here. Ky111 raised a few points I would love to address too. He will take on a false last name soon, but not Roshi's considering I don't know it. He eats less than Goku because he is so young and sees Master Roshi eat a normal amount and so he does too. And I don't know if anyone noticed but Master Roshi has been subtly attempting to make sure no Z fighter establishes a relationship by isolating him and constantly reminding him to hide his ki, which will play a large role in further chapters. Also, as winter break comes to a close I will be forced to update slower, so apologies in advance. Thank you for listening to my ranting and enjoy the next chapter and please review!_  
_**  
**_The rain continued to pour down on unsuspecting citizens and infrastructure, as depressed storm clouds demonstrated their sorrows for their unlucky victims. Drops of liquid soaked the good citizens of Orange Star City, leaving them miserable and chilled to the bone. Cars driving in the crowded city rushed through rain puddles in a desperate attempt to reach their destination before the inclement conditions worsened. In their haste the already unfortunate wanderers walking in the horrid storm were rewarded with torrential liquid walls projected towards them. Overall, the situation left everyone within the vicinity feeling depressed and anxious for relief from the pounding rain. The storm seemed to grate on everyones' nerves except for a lone shadow, creeping down the abandoned sidewalk, seemingly able to deflect the water like an invisible sanctuary guarded him. His long black hair, styled in a ponytail, clung to his thin mustache until he flung it over his shoulder; said hair landed on his pink longcoat with a dull thud. Stitched on the front of his unique clothing is a Japanese character oddly depicting the word 'kill'. The shady character, having reached his location, glanced over his shoulder with his crimson robot eyes, then once the door slid open, ducked inside. If the storm had been silenced and people roaming the streets, one might have heards a cordial agreement being struck between two gruff voices and the eventual cackling of the duo, as a handshake was exchanged.

To say the least the week Gohan spent away from home had been the worst moments of his short lifetime. He wondered why people did not all live on separate islands. Everyone was so terrible to each other! In his brief stay at East City he observed horrible terminology screamed from doorways, people laying in utter filth without resources, and the general rudeness of conversations and actions taken by members of society. So far during his 'vacation' he strayed away from human contact and emerged himself in rigorous training sessions, not wishing to interact with corrupt civilization. The young boy felt a wave of relief sweep over him once he emerged from the forsaken city.

"Good riddance, adios! Wish I could say it was nice, but then I'd be lying," he said, displaying much contempt in his high-pitched voice.

Rotating his entire body one-hundred eighty degrees the half-breed persisted on his trek. Master Roshi had been correct in the assumption that his strength would increase with his travels, but the pint-size wondered if the ends justified the means. He remained curious if he could find all the wonderful acts Master Roshi had pointed out to him on the pair's concise shopping trips on mainland. Sighing to himself, Gohan raised the shoulder strap of the well-worn sack he found, after awaking from an afternoon nap in an empty back alley. Always the optimistic, he vowed to locate good and to protect it with his life once he did. So, even as the sun had long ago switched places with the full moon, the determined lad pushed onwards towards the next city.

Back at Satan City, the storm clouds had become cotton ball-like again and stopped the downpour, all prior angst long forgotten. The moon sent out pale light from its high perch, which allotted a mystic glow to the average puddles of water. Watching this spectacular display through her transparent glass window was a petite raven-haired girl. Her hands, clad in fingerless gloves, were tightly clenched around the ledge beneath the window pane. Her baggy shirt, hung loose from her body as her baby blue eyes wandered the desolate streets, attempting to locate something. A crystal tear fell from her right eye, once she realized the imminent truth: her mother was dead and would- could not reenter her life. Suddenly, the five year old broke out into a fit of sobbing, tears intermingling with the goo from her running nose. The substance drifted down her flushed face and rolled off onto her white t-shirt. Her mother left her a month ago, deployed on a military mission of utmost importance. The operation was an astounding success however, not without casualties. One of these deaths pertained to her late mother. The news had arrived early in the day as a trembling bearer of bad news embraced his daughter before muttering the impossible information. At first, she was impatient since she had been practicing a new martial arts strike she discovered while watching the television. Once, receiving the news though, the tough girl bawled into her father's buff shoulder until her supply of tears dried up. She then promptly lost consciousness. After his daughter collapsed into his broad frame, his massive hands gently scooped her up and he progressively worked his way to her bedroom. The competing fighter carefully placed her on top of her blanket and kissed her smooth forehead. He whispered unheard reassuring words to her before fleeing to his own room to cope. Hours later a cold breeze from the slightly open window awoke the juvenile from her nightmares, leading to the current predicament. The student dabbed at her red eyes and runny nose with the hem of her shirt. Feeling, faintly better the mournful daughter opened the window; arctic wind ripped into her flesh, causing her to shiver. Debating her next action, she settled on screaming known profanities out the window until her voice fractured. Resigned to the fact that her voice now failed at yelling she whispered inaudibly to herself, "My name is Videl Satan. And I promise I will stop any villains that cross my path. Crime shall feel my wrath... for mom," she croaked, her body shaking from stress. Minutes shortly after the girl fell asleep from sheer exhaustion and she visibly relaxed, her face looking peaceful for the first time that day.

/The Next Day.../  
Gohan having trudged on through most of the starless night. He ultimately retired though, once he lost the struggle to keep eyes open. His weary form feel on the spot and he rested on a trail in the wild grass, other travellers paved on their way to their objectives. He awoke still somewhat groggy, and leapt to his feet. His brown shoes caked in dust, the nomad somehow stretched while propelling himself forward with his ki. Laughing to himself, as he sped faster than any cheetah deemed reasonable, his long hair whipped the elongated plants along the way. Spotting a massive sign from a distance he slowed his speedy pace and stopped once he arrived in front of the sign.

"Orange Star City, Population: 3,512,093," he read aloud.

_So I'll leave you all with kinda a cliff hanger! Sorry, but my creativity is shot and I don't want to ruin the next chapter 'cause I'm out of ideas. However, I promise next chapter will begin the saga and so much ACTION with a beginning of Videl and Gohan relationship! I am so excited! Oh, and can anyone guess the villain I was describing above? Please review, as each one helps me make the story better! Thanks and Happy New Years!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch.6: New Enemies and Friends**

_Thanks again for the reviews GohanSsj4, Ky111, and RitcheyD90! As always you guys have encouraged me and really made me rethink some points in the story! I had forgotten about Tao's powers and rivalry with Master Roshi! And Ky111 I appreciate you pointing out my dumb mistake at the end of the last chapter. And I'll make sure to keep Videl at an appropriate level for her age and since she's a human. RitcheyD90 I'm thrilled you think I'm a great storyteller and I also appreciate the advice on not overusing titles! Anyways alot more people have been favoriting and following and if those people could just leave me a quick review with an opinion, idea, like/dislike, comment etc, I would be very grateful. If there is any mistakes please correct me. Please enjoy now and review! On with the chapter!_

(Recap: "Satan City, Population: 3,512,093," he read aloud.)

"Wow, that's a lot of people! I bet I can find some kind of good here!" stated Gohan, full out grinning for the first time since he left the island.

Abuzz with ecstasy the protagonist began confidently strutting past the humongous sign, when his murky eyes locked onto a beautiful rose. The thin stem, portraying thorns in haphazard locations, crowned a delicate, scarlet flower. The drops of water, withstanding, dotted the petals and enhanced the appearance further.

"What a pretty flower!" uttered the prodigy, clearly captivated by the plant as he tugged it from the moist soil.

Gohan removed the sack from his backside; tenderly he set his prize over his food supplies and miscellaneous items. Then, he sealed the top of the bag once again and returned it to its original position on his being.

"Ahh, I can tell today is going to be a good day! A possible friendly city, a nice rose, and plenty of opportunities for training!" he stated, blissfully unaware how in a flash luck can betray those it bestowed itself to.

Curiosity getting the better of the half-sayain he strolled into the large city, scanning his surroundings, he grinned. A gloomy overcast cast a depressing mood over the metropolis. Gohan, however spotted multiple benevolent acts occurring: a child assisting an elderly lady cross the street, a man helping his neighbor rebuild his roof, and a teen racing around his expansive backyard with his gleeful golden retriever. Numerous greeting gestures and salutations were traded over his course toward a distant bench the local park enclosed with an iron gate. Bounding over the vertically challenged gate and sprawling out, in a ridiculous fashion, all across the bench, he sighed in contentment. The midnight sauntering from the previous day catching up to him he mumbled the standard, "I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes..." before the dream world encompassed him.

While the 'monkey' currently enjoyed the new found comforts of Orange Star City, not everyone in the town desired peace. Specifically, the assassin allowing the shadows to swallow his essence in exchange for immunity from prying eyes. He struck a deal with his 'old friend' the day prior and was currently sneakily darting towards the rooftop where the undertaking would reach completion. Robotic headgear flashing beams to detect possible witnesses, he smirked when the scan showed he stood alone behind the appointed house. Cockily, he leapt the single story, yet landed on the jagged tiles without a sound. With record breaking agility he reached the edge of the overhang and readied himself to obtain a glimpse of his target. Right on cue, he spotted a scrawny politician dressed in an expensive suit, scratching his thinning grey hair. Smiling to himself, the assassin twirled his moustache and brushed his iconic 'kill' badge. With lightning quick reflexes he unclasped the case he tightly gripped. Inside several weapon parts lie inside, begging for him to combine them and pull the trigger again. Unable to refuse, their calling he gently displaced the pieces from the case. Then, once the pieces were out he merged them together. Marveling at the completed sniper rifle, he took aim at the motionless politician. Now, the dark-haired villain could easily utilize simpler methods to kill the unsuspecting citizen, but nothing created pandemonium like a precise head shot. Sure enough, the moment he lined up his shot through the scope and squeezed the trigger the bullet tore from the barrel. With a vendetta the raging projectile launched itself through the man's skull, right between the eyes. The chaos that ensued happened immediately. People fled and shouts echoed from the scene until it seemed the entire community hollered for the loss of their prominent member. Stifling giggles, the robotic demon withdrew a radio from his deep coat pocket.

"The deed is done, Master," he spoke into the speaker.

"Well done," came the simple reply from the other end.

Returning the communication device to its rightful place, he hunkered down from sight, preparing to remain until the resulting panic calmed down. While certain, he could safely reach his base without being seen, he refused to risk even the slightest chance of being recognized.

Elsewhere Gohan's sensitive ears excitedly twitched resulting in the child returning to the physical world. Blinking his eyes Gohan heard a nearby couple recanting the recent unfortunate news.

"Yeah, I heard that some psycho gunned down ol' man Richard last hour! And to think his grandchildren choose this day to come visit him..." the blonde woman trailed off.

"I agree it's very unfortunate that they have to be exposed to death at such a young age. Richard was a fine man too, always helped out in the community. He'll be missed," finished the green-haired man, pushing up his drooping glasses.

Gohan having overheard this felt his heart shatter. From the tidbits of death he glimpsed on t.v. with Master Roshi, Goku's son understood that death meant the person permanently left this land for either heaven or hell. He firmly believed that no one deserved to die because everyone possessed at least a single redeemable quality. Ignoring his feeling of remorse, he tilted his head towards the sky. He promised Richard to locate his killer and bring him to justice. A sudden breeze massaged Gohan's bushy hair, almost like Richard was patting his head in appreciation for the boy's intentions. Head cleared, the warrior dashed away, heading towards the crime scene. Upon arrive, the hero noticed yellow tape already placed around a chalk outline and a throng of police officers attempting to obscure the public's view. Using his adept hearing to his advantage, the police men's whispers sounded as though they were talking normally.

"Yeah the shot must have been fired from south-east at a higher altitude considering the bullet, inflicted a wound like this," the detective mentioned to a fellow officer, who nodded.

Gohan, being a genius in battle and academics, hypothesized the bullet trajectory occurred from- there- he pointed out a few buildings to himself.

Prior detective continued, "However, we already send a squad up into the rooftops and they said they didn't see anything out of the ordinary. We also have reliable witnesses claiming a man already escaped from the rooftop. Uh... it's days like this that really make me wish life wasn't so unfair, but death doesn't care who he takes, does he Paul?" asked the man, to which the cop nodded in affirmation once more.

Having gained the insightful information he required Gohan plotted his decisions: find out if the villain had fled or scout the roofs. Deciding on the latter, Roshi's adopted child ran to the rear of the buildings he figured had the potential to 'house' the criminal. Then, he soared on to the house's covering in a similar fashion to the assassin, albeit with less stealth. Hoping the police men simply failed to discover the hideout of the felon, he examined every individual detail of his location closely. After reaching the third rooftop he perceived a figure blending in with the darkness, the only clue to his presence was dull duo velvet beams emitted from his eye sockets. Fear began to nip at the boy as he uncertainly stepped towards the shadow. Once Gohan crept within striking distance the eyes blinked and then a tall, lean man appeared from seemingly nowhere. The bewildered Gohan jumped backward and fell into an advanced martial arts stance. The man chuckled to himself before saying, "How did you find me child, when a platoon of those incompetent officers could not?"

Gohan remaining startled whimpered, "What... who the heck are you?"

Inching forward slightly the assassin answered, "My name was Mercenary Tao, but now I am simply Cyborg Tao since I've had some work done. Now I answered your question so be polite and answer mine."

Gohan on the other hand, visibly upset, at this confrontation, boldly exclaimed, "I just examined everything really careful."

Rubbing his chin the android seemed to be contemplating the answer, while sizing the lad up. A eerie silence hung over the pair, until finally the older male replied, "Well, that's seems reasonable child however, I must ask you, do you have any martial arts or ki training?"

Inhaling a deep breath to calm his nerve Gohan replied, "I have mister. I was trained by Master Roshi in both physical and spiritual combat."

The cyborg's eyes visibly brightened at that information. "Boy, you just became that much more interesting to me. Did you know that me and your master are rivals? Does he ever talk about me?"

Feeling braver addressed kid commented, "Yes, he mentioned a Mercenary Tao once, but in a fairy tale and he said he kicked your butt."

Grinning the murderer said, "Oh, did he now I'm surprised he was brave enough to spew such blatant lies about me! And kid, relax, I wouldn't harm you... yet."

The 'reassurance' the antagonist provided no reaction from Gohan besides an inaudible gulp. Still full of question even in danger he asked the question hovering in the air, "Sir, are you the one who murdered Richard?"

"Was he the politician?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah," Gohan responded.

"Then yes, I did!" he exclaimed, clearly satisfied.

Timidness gave way to anger as Gohan boldly declared, "Then, I have no choice but to fight you! For Richard's sake and for the sake of justice I will defeat you!"

"Don't make me laugh child, you couldn't possibly believe you could defeat me?"

Seeing the adamant look aligning his face the old man smiled.

"Okay, but it's your funeral kid. Hopefully, Roshi taught you some stuff so this will be at least exciting for me."

Glancing over his shoulder to look at the remaining flashing police light, he turned back to face the boy.

"But, not here. Too many people and I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone to get hurt now, would you?"

Growling, the hero relented, tossed his sack to the side, and tailed the criminal as he rocketed away from civilization. A brief flight later and the fighters landed adjacent to each other. Tao lowered his lips to his opponent's right ear. Lowering his voice he quipped, "Best of luck."

And with that launched a cheap elbow shot into the boy's cheek producing a gash. He then proceeded to fling his knee into the boy's gut, who uttered a cry of pain. Chuckling at the hurt he inflicted, the assassin continued to backhand the boy until the Gohan's blood coated his metal hand. Gohan attempting the entire time to counter could not land a single hit out of the multitude of strikes he launched. Sticking his tongue out and openly mocking the boy, he carelessly knocked the boy onto the ground by tripping him with a flick of his long ponytail. Crashing to the soaky ground the boy whimpered. Waiting the monster allowed Gohan to clamber to his feet. Mud was caked across his backside and his face was coated in cuts of various severity, the worse being above his left eyebrow. In his weakened state he shakily lunged forward, and struck the older man in the leg. The elder muttered a curse, more caught off guard than injured. Flipping backward the older man told Gohan, "It's been kinda fun kid, but all silly games come to end eventually. Try to stop this! Super Dodon... Ray!"

He held up his cannon arm and fired an impressive golden beam. The blast hurled itself at Gohan. The frightened lad could only hold up his hands as a futile defense. Incredibly, the savior managed to hold off the beam for a few seconds before the hungry energy beam consumed him entirely. As he felt the heat burn his flesh he muttered, "Father, help me..." as the darkness clotted his vision.

Whistling at the destruction his brutal attack had caused to the surrounding area, he cackled. "Well kid, you were impressive. Not many people could hold off that attack for even that period of time, but since you are Roshi's student you were bound to fail. Maybe someone will be kind enough to give you a proper burial, for I'm far too busy." he said while he sauntered away into the forest.

Videl's afternoon managed to instill feelings of happiness in her. After her mother's untimely death yesterday, father and daughter grieved the morning away together. In the afternoon, once lunch concluded, Hercule suggested they take a walk in the nearby forest in an endeavor to return to normalcy. So, after a quick packing session the two entered their van and drove in silence to their relaxation destination. Scenery whizzed by as Videl, held back tears while switching between fiddling with her gloves and shirt. Upon arriving, they began exploring the familiar turf and their mourning forgotten for the moment. Hercule thoroughly enjoyed spending time enjoying nature. The buff man was bird watching when an ear-splitting screech erupted from close to the woods. Quick as a flash he bounded in the direction of his daughter. Tripping over a bizarre tree root, he stumbled; cursing his luck he reached Videl's side. Lifting his gaze Hercule surveyed the scene and halted once he observed the cause of his daughter's fright. In front of him laid a young boy, who appeared to have fought in a war. His tattered gi looked brown instead of the intended purple. Blood and mud constituted the rest of him. Only a few sickly skin patches were visible through the gore and wet dirt. His face, simply indescribable, clenched so tight to detach himself from his physical body. Taking charge he scooped up the dying kid and scrambled screaming at a fazed Videl to follow. The trio reached the car, breath drained, the Satans from dashing and Gohan from his injuries. Speeding the entire way home Satan consistently honked his horn at anyone he deemed too slow. He graced the world with his middle finger more than he would care to admit. At his house he exited the car, grabbed Gohan and rushed to the makeshift hospital in their basement. It provided the best chance for his survival, as the closest hospital remained thirty minutes away. Both Videl and Hercule frequented the basement quite often, to mend their wounds so it was well equipped to handle emergencies. Hooking the child up to an IV machine and dabbing with a wash cloth at the child's horrible scrapes, the concerned father breathed heavily. Stress was getting to him as he forced the uncooperative, knocked-out sayain to swallow a pain reliever. Fifteen minutes later, the child relaxed, blood and stains cleansed by a careful Hercule. Videl, secretly watching, appeared beside her trembling father and embraced him.

"I can tend to him daddy. Leave it to me!" stated Videl, showing her tough side.

Grunting the muscle-bound male handed the raven-haired girl the wash cloth.

"Just make sure he stays comfortable. I'll be in bed if you need me and be careful honey, he is a boy after all," he tiredly mumbled.

Her father departed the room. She glanced at the boy she remained responsible for. Beforehand his ragged appearance had frightened but, now cleaned up and croaking incomprehensible words, he vaguely resembled an angel. Videl diverted her intense gaze after coming to this conclusion, a crimson color on her pale cheeks. Dipping the washcloth in the water bucket, the female rubbed his face soothingly. He graced her with a brief smile which caused her to mime the action back.

Gohan opened his eyes to see a gorgeous princess dabbing his sweaty forehead with a vibrant cloth. Exhausted and dazed from his brawl, he failed processing the words before they left his mouth, "You're a pretty girl..."

Said girl jumped unaware her patient had awoke. The words had an immediate impact on the girl. At first she sputtered with forming a sentence, then settled on a simpler, "Thank you..."

Reconducting herself, she renewed her rough facade and said, "We found you in the forest, pretty banged up. You were bleeding all over everything and you looked liked crap. You look better now, but still... what the hell were you doing out there?"

"I was fighting Cyborg Tao because he murdered Richard..." he stopped, realizing this meant he failed. A deep frown formed on his swollen face.

Confused, but realizing the sudden change Videl's hard demeanor crumbled and she awkwardly hugged the rugged boy. Even though they were strangers neither felt the desire to abandon the contact, finding comfort in each other's arm. Eventually, the embrace ended and the two simply sat in silence.

"How can a kid like you attempt to battle a Mercenary like Tao?"

"Well, I'm quite strong for my age. And the guy has defeat coming to him, it's just a matter of time," Gohan defended himself.

"Well fine Mr. Tough Guy! Anyhow, what is your name?" the girl wondered aloud.

Gohan contemplated if he should tell her, then decided it was acceptable. "My name is Gohan... Gohan Kame," he claimed, giving a pseudo last name since he did not know Roshi's.

"Well Gohan Kame, my name is Videl Satan," she stated with an outstretched hand.

Firmly Gohan gripped her gloved hand and the duo shook as a greeting of sorts. The conversation between the pair continued into the wee hours of the night until exhaustion claimed them.

For the next week Hercule and Videl swamped roles as nurse while Gohan gradually bonded to the Satans, especially Videl. Mr. Satan, finding the boy polite and well versed even encouraged his daughter to visit Gohan, even if he is a boy. His endless stories and good cheer greatly assisted the family in coping with Hercule's wife's death also. At the week's end Gohan rather appreciated the company, however he surmised that he should forge on with his mission. The next day, he slipped out of bed and gathered the tiny family together.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality! I regret having to leave but, I have to continue on with my adventure! I'll come visit one day!" he promised and started leaving.

"Wait!" Videl hollered.

She grabbed Gohan by the arm and faced her father. "Please, dad let me go with Gohan! He needs someone to protect him!" she begged.

His bushy eyebrows furrowed at the thought of his only daughter leaving with a boy on a trip, even if that boy was Gohan. However, her pleading look coupled with the recent level of happiness she had been experiencing made his resolve crumble.

"FIne you may travel with Gohan if, and only if, he manages to defeat me in a spar.

Staring at the boy, awaiting confirmation, he grinned when the boy nodded in his direction. He haughtily assumed he would win by a landmine; Gohan sensed the man's ki earlier and knew this would be an effortless victory. The males climbed into the boxing ring in the living room.  
"Begin!" shouted an anxious Videl, believing no one could possibly defeat her dad.

Gohan soon proved her wrong as he encroached on Hercule's space and then flicked him in the chest, which sent him flying. A ten counted began; the champ aware he already lost stood up and immediately forfeited. Videl stood dumbfounded, never believing this minute boy could possess that kind of power. Brushing himself off, her father straightened himself out and relented, "You can travel with Gohan, sweetie... if that is what you really want."

She shrieked gleefully and glomped her father. Gohan stood off to the side while this occurred, eager to return to the streets. Letting go of her Hercule, VIdel walked over to Gohan and he beckoned for her to tag along. Before the pint-sized warriors could leave the tallest male called to them, "You take good care of her now son. She's in your hands."

"I promise, sir," he said, voice sincere.

Hercule seemed reassured. He croaked out, "Goodbye Videl, have a safe trip and don't trust any boys beside Gohan."

The five year old flashed an amazing smile at her father's advice.

"I promise daddy. I love you!"

"Love you too, pumpkin!"

And with that the kids set off into the windy morning, not aware where their pursuits would take them, but eager nonetheless.

Voyaging at a human's pace was grating on Gohan's nerves but, for VIdel he would muscle through it. An entire day later and they managed to only cover half the city's distance. Videl seemed proud, though at their current progress so he refused to complain. Suddenly, he remembered the forgotten sack he left on the roof.

"Hold on Videl, I'll be right back," he claimed, soaring off towards his bag. Videl stared, open-mouthed as the mysterious boy flew, literally took flight. Landing on the roof's covering he snatched his bag and powered back to the awaiting female. Upon his return the girl cried out, "So, you can fly!?"

"Of course I can silly!" came the cheerful reply.

"You are one strange dude Gohan. What you go get anyways?"

"I just had to grab my bag," he answered, gesturing towards the sack on his back. "Oh, and I have something for you, here."

He swung the bag off his shoulder and unfastened the top. Scanning the contents, he located the red rose and promptly grabbed it. Fastening the bag once more, and wearing it again, he presented the rose to VIdel.

"I found this at the entrance of the city and thought it was really pretty. But I think it would look much even nicer on someone like you," he nonchalantly reasoned.

The blushing Videl almost fainted when smooth hands brushed her ponytail behind her ear and the pushed the rose under her ear.

"I was right! It does look much better on you!"

He grabbed her hand, and the kids persisted on their ongoing journey.

"I did it, I found good!" Gohan thought to himself, subconsciously squeezing the girl's hand tighter.

_Incredibly long chapter because now school is starting and I'll be later updating. Gohan is quite a lady's man, isn't he? =) Videl is also definently much sweeter in this one! Sorry if the subtle religious reference offends anyone, certainly not my intention. Enough from me, please review! Many of you have questioned why Tao is so much stronger than Raditz and this is because in this fic, his modified android parts increased his power substancially._

Approximate Power Levels:  
Gohan- 2150  
Videl- 3  
Tao- 4500


	7. Chapter 7

**Ch.7: Vagabonds and the Tower**

"Gohan I'm hungry..." whined a famished Videl, unknowingly brushing her wane left hand across the scarlet rose she received from Gohan.

Sweat-dropping, the boy's brisk pace condemned, he adjusted his pale headband higher on his head. He gazed upward to the star infested sky, contemplating whether permitting the inexperienced girl to travel with him remained the wisest course of action. Gohan deeply cared for the girl's safety, the primary reason he relieved her from Hercule, to safeguard her from the deadly assassin. Speculating the outspoken eventual champion would punctually place his daughter in unintentional peril, he cleverly paved the path for Videl to join him on his quest. In the end, he still meditated whether or not she could adapt to the harsh environment.

"For the last time Videl, we'll stop in a few minutes, but I want to get to the next town shortly. We already took too many breaks and we are nowhere close to where we need to be!" Gohan expressed intensely, his drowsiness compromising his usual calm demeanor.

The sudden change in temperament prompted the human to disallow the whimper, attempting to force its way from her rosy lips. Azul tinted eyes brimming up with tears, released an inaudible sob. A trained warrior, Gohan noticed the covert in Videl's body language; mentally cursing himself, the sack on his thin shoulders dropped and he plopped loudly onto the rocky terrain. Hoping to Kami, his companion would discern his unspoken message, relief swept over him once her frail form collapsed to the rough earth.

Tears clotted the corner of the spry girl's dazzling orbs and the boy felt largely responsible, regardless that she was overreacting. To comfort her he outstretched his hands, utilizing them to wipe the salty liquid out of her sight. Sniffling, she grabbed his hand, promptly departing to the dream world.

"Sleep tight, Videl..." he whispered, striving to gradually retract his wrist, but to no avail.

Sighing, he curled up next to his congregate and draped his short arm over Videl's midsection. Content with the warmth spreading through his body, he shut his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

"Hey Gohan how come you can't fly us there?"

"Because I can't get stronger if I just flew us everywhere, now could I?" responded a spirited warrior, casually observing the setting sun.

Attempting at redepositing himself within his companion's good graces once more, a false smile plastered his face and he kindly answered her multitude of inquires. His explanations, in reality, left the girl more bewildered, but she feared voicing her opinion would provoke Gohan. Scolding herself in her mind for being a coward, she sustained, revealing the reason behind her question. "Well, I've always dreamed of being able to fly, and being as free as the birds in the sky! I bet it is the best feeling in the world!" she pondered aloud.

"It's not actually not as cool as you think. The wind hurts a lot when it lashes you in the face cause you'e goin' so fast... well I'm always going fast anyways. Maybe if I slowed down it wouldn't be so bad."

Videl contemplated this response. She still alleged flight remained a liberating experience.

Mustering the cutest expression viable, she asked, "Gohan if it's not too much trouble could you fly me around, just for a little?"

Gohan's resolve to remain traveling on foot crumbled, once his assiduity drifted to her trembling lip and sparkling eyes. Even without adding the puppy dog eyes, he still would have remained powerless against her every request.

"Sure, Videl. Come here and I'll fly us around for a bit though."

Videl's expression radiated pride. She forced the toughest combatant to grace the earth to succumb to her will. Smirking cockily, she strode over, for a realization to strike her- the mighty semi-human would have to carry her. The sneer dissipated as her accomplice scooped her up bridal style. For the first time she admired his developed biceps and felt his hardened abdomen pressing against her lean sides. An abysmal blush covered her cheeks; however, the male either ignored or felt at easel with the predicament, as his face retained its original shade. Noting the switch in her facial coloring, he questioned, "Videl are you okay?" while pressing his smooth hand against her forehead.

In response her face darkened amply. Gently jostling the hand away from her the upper portion of her head, she answered, "Yeah, I'm fine Gohan, let's just go."

"Okay, if you're sure," he replied, still unconvinced about her condition, he nonetheless floated upward, over the lofty treetops, so far accompanying them in this section of their journey.

After lifting off the human felt a rush of exhilaration. At the current speed the backlash from wind remained minimal, besides she refused to appear as an abject little girl. Videl internally debated whether or not she should completely relax. To restore her resolve she inhaled a long breath and courageously nestled her head into Gohan's stomach. The boy presented no retorting signs and instead pulled his partner closer to himself. Secretly enjoying the others' presence, the earthlings proceeded this way for quite a length of time.

On the horizon, a tremendously erect tower stood, ordering the clouds to depart. The magnificent tower accredited his divine grace satisfied the sky enough; there remained no further need for clouds to adorn the blue majesty. With prestige brilliantly shining from the tower, the kids duly noted its blatant presence.

"Gohan, do you think we could check that huge tower out?" asked Videl eagerly. She always enjoyed exploring architecture. Numerous people considered architecture mundane, but she refused to relent. In her heart this art form would remain preeminent and most aesthetically pleasing works.

Meanwhile, Gohan struggled with feasible scenarios and the potential results of each. On one hand he could adamantly ignore the request and reach the city quicker, albeit with an upset Videl; however, the other option seemed even less savory to him. If he accepted her idea, then she would be satisfied, but his immediate schedule detained. Plus, examining ancient buildings, no matter how pleasant, rebelled against his morals of entertainment. Carefully, examining both options, he shut his eyes tightly, and braced himself.

"No, we can't Videl I'm sorry, but we're already later than I wanted to be. Please, try to understand."

Unable to not gaze at her expression, the remainder of an extinct race cracked open an eyelid. Instead of witnessing a dreary princess he imagined, a glowing Videl greeted his restored vision.

Vigilant in her smile, Videl answered, "Okay, but can we at least fly by it?"

Grateful for her understanding, Gohan returned her contagious grin and nodded. Pleased with herself, Videl snuggled deeper into his gi. Upon, arriving to the travellers gaped at the sheer magnitude. Rising above the skyline the the structure abjured the obvious laws of physics. Their eyes, even Gohan's, roamed the building greedily, memorizing every detail, roaming for anything extraordinarily compiled. The young warriors expeditiously noted the plethora of footholds, accommodating the furious storms and winds at this extreme altitude.

"Gohan, do you... do you think anyone has ever climbed this thing?" Videl asked the wild child.

"I'm sure someone must have climbed it before."

"Could we try to climb it? Please!"

Said child mulled over the idea. The scholar reckoned scaling the wane tower from foundation to the peak prove rigorous. After all, if he challenged himself, the climb to the uppermost component remains a day's duration; however, factoring in one emphatic girl and the total rose substantially- approximately four whole days at the least. Unlike before, though, this time his replying to her question in a positive manner remained more achievable, as potent training adjoined itself to the concept. After reaching that conclusion, he balanced the scales and replied, "Yeah, let's give it a try! At the very least, I'll get a little training in. And it's not like it will take an entire month, right?"

Ecstasy freely flowed through her cobalt veins, as she embraced her company in a severe manner, much unlike her structure suggested feasible. Unable to fully recompense the affection, due to their precarious position, Gohan settled on snaking one toned arm around her slender waist.

The underlying potion presented a sicklier image than the above; conversely, not to be outdone, the fundamental portion persisted with an unfathomable diet, resulting in a larger waistband. No storms persisted below the atmosphere, so this constituent bore no blemishes. This respective consequence resulted in a pallid tone, bright enough to harm even fleeting glances.

Preparing themselves for the imminent climb the protagonists stretched with fervent energy. Completing the complex exercise, Gohan lowered the sack onto the vast grassland. Ransacking the dark bag, he allocated the long rope and withdrew said object.

"Videl, come over here real fast," the gladiator youngling spoke.

Addressed child trudged herself over to the speaker. "Yes, Gohan?"

Instead of directly answering he clambered forward slightly and decorated her slender waist, flexing the coarse fibers of the rope to comply to his incessant gesticulating. The rope vehemently denied its latent contortionist ability, acting as though forming a knot sported an apparent stigma. After, agitating the line until he speculated it would remained; the boy coiled the rope around his own stomach and preformed the aforementioned duty.

He stared his perplexed ally in the face and claimed, "This is so when we start climbing, in case you fall I'll be able to hoist you back up. I'm happy, you're secure, and no one dies! It's a win-win!"

Sweatdropping, at the boy's obvious enthusiasm at the phrase 'no one dies', she flicked her midnight pigtail, allocating it adjacent to her ear.

"Well, then, let's go! No time like the present, Gohan!" stated the enthusiastic girl, already sprinting over towards the horizon.

Gohan, stationary, rooted to the ground as if some greater deity morphed his core structure from fauna to flora. Unaware, of the prior's pace, the female tumbled to the dirt when the merging rope refused to extend henceforth. A passive hand was raised to rack the clotted grime clinging to her scalp and cheeks. A scowl plastered her face, removing utter former traces of exquisite beauty. Her retained furrowed features, only pleasing to the most sullen Puritan men, aggrandized upon perceiving Gohan erupt into uncontrolled laughter. Crystal tears slid down his ruddy face, cleansing tarnish, resulting in pure trails, shrouded by sinful film. Videl, chafed and standing, grasped the cord and mightily wretched, lacking remorse for threads that were harshly evoked by her ivory palm. Instantaneously, the giggling fighter lurched forward and his resilient skull conceived recognition of lush grass.

Now smiling herself, the interminably pleasant Videl scolded, "Serves you right mister. You shouldn't have been laughing at me!" A pink tongue emerged from her agape mouth in a taunting manner. Grounded child, humor obstructed, gripped the rope and flicked his wrist backward, causing the beaming feminine traveller to crash into the native plant life afresh. Rejecting former acrimony, she settled decided to anew her cheerful disposition both parties enjoying their respective pranks.

Minutes later, the group gathered themselves enough to clamber to their feet, albeit unsteadily.

"Now why weren't you moving before Gohan?" asked a dubious Videl.

Gohan, scratching the rear of his neck, said, "Well, I remembered that we were so preoccupied that we forgot to have dinner."

"Gohan, between you and your stomach, I'm not sure which one is worse!" quipped the spirited human, uttering a slight chuckle.

Acknowledging the correct time was indeed upon them, the duo manifested a makeshift campsite. A blazing fire roared an ominous signal, the entertained listeners refusing to heed the call, preferring to converse among themselves.

"Gohan let's climb that thing tomorrow. I'd rather just eat and talk, and worry about climbing it in the morning."

"Sure Videl, whatever you want," Gohan stated, while scrupulosity severing the knots that bound them.

With obligations formed, promises steadfast, the two talked late into the evening about trivial topics. Choice of conversation appeared to be disregarded for the simple aspect of another's company- the tower was not brought up, abiding until the sun departure and awakening.

_I am so sorry for this incredibly late update, guys! If anyone one is still following this little tale of mine, I am beyond apologetic. School and social obligations have kept me very busy. Plus, I rewrote this into a newer style I've been meaning to attempt. I've been reading lots of Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne, so while I may not write like them, I hope my writing in and of itself has improved. Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed, and be sure to bear with me. I plan to finish this era soon, next four to five chapters, and head into the action-packed sayian one. And if anyone is still confused about why Tao is so much more powerful, I concluded since he was 'reborn' as an android, his power level would surge. My theory anyway! I know I was majorly late but, could everyone please review, I would be much appreciated!_


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